The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1891, Page 6

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6 The Lutheran Pioneer.

(For the ‘‘ Lutheran Pioncer.’’)

“Bethlehem” Rejoicing.

Bethlehem School is finished! Filled with
joy over this fact the teacher had run a flag up
on the bell-tower. For the first time the stars
and stripes, so dear to us, fluttered in the brisk
breeze that was blowing from the gulf. But
our teacher had performed another, more ard-
uous task than that of hoisting a flag. Besides
having arranged the necessary seats, he had
tastefully decorated the interior of the new
school-house with garlands, wreaths and flowers,
as well as various-sized flags and bunting. In-

‘deed, the place appeared very attractive! And
the occasion was deserving of the teacher's exer-
tions to present the newly erected temple of
learning in such handsome attire! No doubt, the
‘reader has already divined what it was,—the sol-
emn consecration of the new building. That’s it.
| The exercises were held on the second Sun-
day after Epiphany at three o'clock in the after-
moon. From their deepest hearts the partici-
pants sang: ‘‘Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation!”’ As all things are sanc-
tified by the Word of God and prayer, a Script-
ure-lesson was read and a prayer offered up to
«the Throne of Grace. Following the order in
Rev. Lochner’s ‘‘ Liturgical Monthly,’’ the
-clergyman officiating continued: ‘‘In the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
«Ghost, this school-house, to be known as the
Ey. Luth. Bethlehem School, and to serve as
a nursery of Zion as well as a source of blessing
to our glorious Union, is now opened. In ac-
cordance with the words of the_psalmist: ‘The
fear of the Lord isthe beginning of wisdom:
.a good understanding have all they that do his
‘commandments,’ the children entrusted to us
‘are to be instructed both in the saving knowl-
edge of God’s Word and in those branches which
will tend to promote their temporal interest.
Pursuing this course, we shall be successful, we
trust, in training up a generation of men and
‘women who will as zealously Jabor for the glory
.of God, the extension of their Redeemer’s King-
dom and their own salvation as they will faith-
fully and unselfishly devote themselves to the
service of their fellow-men and the prosperity
of their native country.” The congregation
having sung: ‘‘Let me be Thine forever, Thou
faithful God and Lord,’’ Rev. Mr. Bakke deliv-
ered an impressive sermon on the subject: “Why
should our Christian schools be dear and pre-
cious to us?’? The conclusion of the service
-was the same as usual. It was too bad that
anany of our friends and brethren did not ap-
spear until the service was half over. Let them
‘kindly remember on the next occasion that a
gervice announced to begin at three o'clock will
not be postponed for half an hour or longer.
¢ Our merciful Saviour who has so graciously

" prospered our school in the past, has accepted,
‘swe trust, both the praise and the petitions of-

fered up to Him. :May He in the future also
less/our school and pour out His grace, that
there may not-bé room to receive it. Aus.

JOE ine et lake a a at eee i

The Dedication of the English Evang. Luth.| It began at 8 o’clock by the oloir repeating

Grace Church of St. Louis, Mo.

Sunday, Dec. 14, was a day of great rejoic-
ing for the English Lutheran Grace Church
of St. Louis; for on this day her beautiful
church was dedicated to the Triune God. The
weather could not have been more favorable.
At 10 o'clock the celebration began. At this
hour the doors were opened by the Pastor and
the large number of people that had assembled
for this occasion flocked into the edifice, led by
the Rey. C. L. Janzow and Rev. J. Johansen,
of Olaf, Wright Co., Ia. In a few minutes all
the seats were occupied and the aisles crowded.

“Our Father.” Hymn 811 was sung by choir
and congregation. Prayer was said and a Psalm
read. The choir rendered ‘We praise Thee,
O God” most creditably. Hymn 140 was then
sung by both. A discourse followed by the Pas-
tor, his text being Psalm 117. The song from
the choir, ‘‘O come, let us sing,’’ was sung, and
hymn 147 followed it. Prayer, Benediction,
and Doxology concluded the services. The col-
lections amounted to $191.

The building is situated on the corner of
St. Louis and Garrison Aves., fronting on the
latter. It is built of a dark red brick and stone,
being 65 ft. long and 35 ft. wide with a steeple

After a prelude by Prof. J. H. Backhus the} g9 ft, high. It conveniently seats over 300, is

dedication-lesson and -prayer were read, to which
the choir responded with the Lord’s Prayer,

well light by day as well as at night, and is
heated with hot air. The floor is carpeted and

which was delightful. Hymn 326 was then sung) the inside is finished in walnut, giving the whole

by choir and congregation, after which followed

a very attractive and becoming appearance.

The cost of the building, the furnishing, and
the site is a little less than $12,000. May God
be with Grace Church in the future, as He has
been in the past. F. W. Apams.

——+ +o o>

Remarkable Progress.

Some persons complain that the missionary
work advances so slowly, but God often shows
that He can accomplish His ends rapidly. One
of the latest instances of rapid progress is the
change wrought in the moral and religious
condition of the inhabitants in Formosa, an
island in the China Sea. The population here
is mixed in character, being partly Chinese and
partly wild tribes. Among the latter people
the missionary began some fourteen years ago
to labor. At that time idolatry held sway, and
hatred was felt and expressed for the foreigners.
the Gospel-lesson. The choir then rendered | The difficulties and obstacles in the way seemed
very admirably ‘‘God loves the Gates of Zion,’’| almost insuperable, but the workers had faith
which was followed by hymn 174. During the| and energy, and God was with them. They
last verse Rev. C. L. Janzow entered the pul-| gradually found favor, and their labors proved
pit. After offering thanksgiving unto the Lord} successful. Now 12,000 conversions are re-
in a sweet prayer and asking Him for blessing] ported, and churches are in full operation.
and assistance in future, he announced for his| Schools have also been started, a native ministry
text v. 4. 5. of Psalm 27 and preached an able| is being trained, and hospitals have been estab-
sermon which was listened to with great in-|lished. Christianity has thus gained a strong
terest by all. The choir again sang a charm-| footing. .The next fourteen years should, with
ing selection bearing the title, ‘Great and Glo-| such a wonderful foundation, manifest most
rious.’ Rey. J. Johansen, who in 1880 and the| remarkable gains in this island, and its com-
following years, as long as he had charge of the] plete domination by Christ may be expected in
Danish-Norwegian church in this city, also con-| the near future. God has given His own way
ducted English services with the view of estab-| of working; but whether it be by slow or by
lishing an English Lutheran Church, but was| speedy process, let us not despair of the power
called to another place in the Lord’s vineyard | of His Gospel. 3
before success had crowned his effort, stepped —
in the pulpit and addressed the congregation in
very timely and appropriate remarks, based on
the 3d verse of Jude. Hymn 151 was then
sung, after which the pastor baptized a child.
The Benediction being pronounced, the services
concluded with the Doxology.

The evening service was better attended than

SSS

Heads of the Wagogo in Africa.

A PROFANE coachman, pointing to one of his
horses, said to a traveler:

‘That horse, sir, knows when Iswesrathim.’’

‘*Yes,”’ replied the traveler, ‘‘and so does
his Maker!”

Remember, boys, God hears every time you

the morning. Many failed to gain admission. | swear.